Listening to Secular Music that is Bible Based In the Bathroom

We all know the halacha that states that divrei Torah should not be thought about while in the bathroom. However, I'm curious about secular material based on divrei Torah.

This question came to hanut me this past week, I was listening to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on my MP3 player while working around the house. At one point I needed to go to the bathroom and, without thinking about it, continued to listen to Joseph.

Now, I don't want to say that Joseph is a "davar sheb'kedusha;" I'm fairly certain it's not. But it can very easily lead one to think about the personages and the story involved -- and that clearly DOES count as divrei Torah.

So, where does one draw the line between the secular and permitted and the holy and the not permitted? When the secular and the holy are sort of mixed in this fashion, where is the dividing line.

(Related question: Can one discuss think about the recently canceled NBC series Kings in the bathroom).

The Wolf

Are You Even Allowed To Question?

Back in my post where I severely disagreed with Rabbi Mizrachi's "proofs," an anonymous* commentator made the following comment:

Wolf,

I've been reading your post and gave it quite a bit of thought. My conclusion is that your arguments don't truly hold up and that challenging such a torah scholar (who has done an immense amount of good) is actually a chillul hashem (given that non-jews read your blog). A chillul hashem is actually the worst thing that a jew can do but i'm sure you knew that..

The commentator makes two statements here about me:

1. My arguments against Rabbi Mizrachi's "proofs" don't hold water.
2. My challenging his "proofs" is a Chillul Hashem, since non-Jews read my blog.

Implicit in his second statement is that one is not even allowed to question the "proofs" Rabbi Mizrachi (or anyone else, I guess) presents. After all, we all know that it is forbidden to make a Chillul HaShem** -- indeed, my anonymous commentator points out (correctly) that making a Chillul HaShem is one of the worst things*** a Jew can do. If pointing out flaws in the proofs is a Chillul HaShem, then it should be fairly simple to logically conclude that one is not allowed to question Rabbi Mizrachi's "proofs."

Of course, as I'm sure you've guessed, I don't agree with that position. I do not think that pointing out bad logic and flawed science is a Chillul HaShem. If someone were to say that Judaism is the "one true religion" because 2+2=5, then how is it a Chillul HaShem to point out that 2 plus 2 does not, in fact, equal five? Likewise, if someone tries to show that the Zohar is divine based on "scientific information" contained therein and the information is, in fact wrong****, then how is it a Chillul HaShem to point it out? On the contrary, I think that it's far closer to a Chillul HaShem to assert that Judaism is true because 2+2=5 when it is clearly demonstrable that it is not so.

We are described in Parshas V'EsChannan as an Am Chacham V'Navon... a wise and knowlegable nation. It makes us look extremely foolish to bring a proof that our religion is divine based on facts that any high-school student knows are false. On that basis, I feel that not only is one allowed to question a bad "proof," but one is *required* to point out its flaws.

The Wolf


* The commentator may or may not be "Champ."

** I'll ignore the fact that the commentator is wrong about the nature of Chillul HaShem in that it primarily applies to a desecration of God's name that is made in the eyes of other Jews, and only secondarily (if at all) in the eyes of non-Jews.

*** I don't know if it is the "worst" thing, but that's another argument for another day.

**** Such as Rabbi Mizrachi's claim that the Zohar states that the North Pole is always bathed in sunlight except for one hour in the day.

Tu B'Shvat Question

Why is there a custom to eat fruit on Tu B'Shvat, but no custom to eat meat on Rosh Chodesh Ellul (the Rosh HaShannah for Ma'aser B'heimah - the tithing of animals)?

The Wolf

Odd Davening Question

On Rosh Chodesh, during the Musaf Amidah, we ask God to grant us several blessings for the new month. Among them are goodness, blessings, sustenance, etc. The last of the requests are for (using the Artscroll translation) pardon of sin and forgiveness of iniquity (m'chilas chait v'l'slichas avon). In addition, during a leap year, u'l'chaparas pesha (atonement of willful sin) is added as well.

My question, very simply, is this: Why do we only ask for chaparas pesha during leap years. Do we not need it during all other years?

Anyone know of any reasons?

The Wolf

Parsha Question

Throughout the parshiyos of Shmos and VaEra, Moshe asks Pharaoh to let the Jews go for three days to worship God. Well, as history attests, Pharaoh refused to let us go - indeed, God Himself assured Moshe that Pharaoh would refuse.

Nonetheless, suppose Pharaoh had said "You know, you're right. I bet if they have a break, they could come back and work much better later. Go ahead, take them out, see you back here in a few days."

What then? Would the Jews have come back?

The Wolf

(For all those who have been complaining that my posts have been too long -- how's that? :) )